7 Positive Things that Organisation and Cleaning Impact Upon Your Mental and Physical Well being

Cleaning and housework is let’s be honest one of the necessities of life– however it isn’t all that bad! In fact, being clean and organised can have a wonderful effect not just on your surroundings but on your mental and physical wellbeing too.

Organising, cleaning and de-cluttering have been proven to boost your mood, your relationships and even eating habits – who knew?

It Reduces Stress and Depression…

After a long, hard day at work, the last thing you want to come home to is a messy, dirty, cluttered house. According to a recent study in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, women who said that their homes were “cluttered” or “needing a good clean” were more depressed, tired, and had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than women who felt their homes were “clean” and “tidy,”

Researchers say that having a lot of tasks and housekeeping duties on your list might stop the natural decline in cortisol throughout the day, making you feel down in the dumps. This unfortunately can then take its toll on your sleep, health, overall mood and even fertility.

You should try and spend some time each day to make sure that you are on top of the cleaning and you will feel happier and less stressed because of it.

It Helps Your Eating Habits…

Research in the journal of Psychological Science says that a clean, organised
environment can help you make better food choices; a recent study recorded a
group of people’s choice of food snacks (either an apple or a chocolate bar) and found that people who worked in a neat space for 10 minutes or more were
twice as likely to choose the apple.

Clutter is stressful for the brain, so you are more likely to use coping mechanisms such as choosing comfort foods or overeating than if you spend time in neater surroundings.

It Improves Your Exercise Regime…

Organisation skills are transferable, which is why individuals who have an organised house tend to be good at staying on track with their exercise!

Once you get a cleaning routine and you stick to it, logic says you are much more likely to be able to stick to your exercise routine too.

It Boosts Your Relationships…Positive relationships with your partner, family and friends are the key to a happy life – but believe it or not, having a messy, dirty house has an effect on these too!

Not doing the dishes or wiping the bench can make your housemates resentful and can cause arguments and unhappiness. Also, an untidy house can make you feel ashamed and embarrassed, stopping
you from inviting people to your house; this can then cut you off from your friends and may lead to feelings of isolation and depression. Why not create a dinner party schedule with another couple/friend so you’re forced to keep on top of the chores?!

It Increases Productivity…

Research shows that clutter really does affects your ability to function. The journal of neuroscience reports that when your house is untidy, it overloads your visual cortex and makes it more difficult for your brain to process information or focus on the task in hand. So, de-cluttering your desk and having less things to look at should improve your focus.

Greater productivity at work means getting more things done which in turn means more down-time! Finishing all of your tasks means you can exit work
on time and go home to relax. More time for you will mean more time to
exercise, cook healthy meals and get more sleep – all of which will have massive,
positive effects on your wellbeing.

It Helps You Lose Weight…

Following on from the last point, the more time you have to yourself,
the easier it is to make healthy choices. The more organised your home is, the
more time you’ll have to make healthy meals and not make bad food choices.

Just like sticking to a cleaning schedule, following a healthy routine
takes organisation and mindfulness, so it is true that once you get the former
down, the latter will come much more easily.

Being healthy requires planning, organization, and preparation. When you
are organised, you are more likely to plan your meals, stock up on nutritious
foods, and prepare things like fruits and vegetables to make healthy eating
more likely.

It Helps Sleep…

Living in a clean and de-cluttered environment improves general Zen and
reduces stress and depression, which naturally will result in a better sleep.
However, this isn’t the only benefit of less mess on your sleep. According to a
survey by the National Sleep Foundation, 75 percent of people reported they got
a better night’s rest with clean sheets.

Making your bed and tidying away clothes in the morning means you are 19
percent more likely to get a good night’s sleep.

Doing cleaning and household chores throughout the day mean you’re less
likely to be rushing around doing them just before bed and having to take other
chores such as reading emails and internet banking into the bedroom. Taking
electronic objects into bed with you makes it more difficult to get to sleep –
your bedroom should be a sanctuary for rest and relaxation. Get your chores
done long before its time to hit the hay and you’re more likely to sleep
soundly!